Disclaimer: I do not own Animaniacs, it belongs to Steven Spielberg, Warner Brothers Studio, et al. I claim no rights to any of this, it was made purely for entertainment and for writing practice. No profit is made off of this. There are original characters featured within.

Animaniacs Return

Chapter 39: New Special Friend

"So, she returns." Dot laughed as she got up from her outside lounge. "Any celebrity interviews this week? We've had lots of fun so far, almost enough to open our dealership soon."

"Yeah, I hear." Aroma cleared her throat. "Zenny, Iri, and I are wondering if you're sure you don't want to stay?"

"On the studio lot with no job?" Dot drifted her tanning shades down. "Not really. I think we're moving up in the world instead."

"Okay," Aroma looked around. "Yakko's not here? I wanted to give him something."

"I bet you do." Dot giggled. "What?"

"Paddleball." Aroma handed it to Dot. "Brand new condition, it's the nicest one I have. It's the one he first saw of mine. Could you give it to him next time you see him?"

"…maybe." Dot pulled her shades back over her. "You know, he'd probably choose to start our business here instead of San Diego if you just told him how you felt. The doggy is gone, right?"

Aroma laughed in an odd manner. "Dot, your brother has saved me more times than I can count. I was a different cartoon before he met me. He's changed me for the better, and he's…he's too good." She squeezed her purse tighter. "I can't, look how much trouble he's gone through for me. Why would he want me more than a friend? I've got too much baggage. Besides, Iri, well when she was Arni…oh, I just know I stand good at friend. So…" She cleared her throat. "I better get going back; we're being requested by the chairman this afternoon so…"

Dot watched Aroma take off and yawned as she looked at the roof where Yakko stood looking over. "I don't know Yakko, do you think you're too good for her?"

"Here Skip, have some cereal before you run off." Slappy poured Skippy some cereal.

"Thanks," Skip muttered as he took a bite. "…aunt."

Snappy looked up from his newspaper and watched as Slappy poured him a bowl. "No dynamite today?"

Slappy glared at him, but backed off and ate her own cereal.

Snappy ruffled his newspaper once and went back to reading it. Slappy might never accept the truth, and as hard as it was to deal with, he had to accept it. She lived a large majority of her life as Slappy Squirrel and if her memories as Midge never came back, then in the end that was who she was. She refused therapy and didn't want hypnosis. She wouldn't let him tell Skippy the facts. She wouldn't let anyone know, anything. A grumpy old crabby squirrel.

"Where are you going tonight?"

"A rager."

"I don't think so Skip."

"Everyone I know is going to be there."

"I won't, I'm more hip staying at home."

Snappy hid his chuckle and flipped to the next page. Whether 'mom' or 'aunt', Skippy and Slappy cared for each other the same way, either way.

"Snap, get your feet off the table!"

"Don't have to yell," Snap snapped back as he brought his feet down. "Old crab." He opened his newspaper again and hid a smile. Just like old times.

"Renraw?" Aroma stopped as she saw Renraw driving on a motorcycle. "New bike?"

"Yeah, pretty, isn't she?" Renraw stretched out his hand. "Want to go for a little ride?"

"Not…particularly," Aroma answered, "besides I need to get going."

"Well, that is what the ride is for." He patted the back. "Yes?"

"No." Aroma waved goodbye. "Sorry, I gotta go!"

"Sorry, I gotta go," Renraw mocked her as she took off. "****, what does it take with that woman?"

"Something you don't have."

"Oh. Hi." Aroma's voice became stilted as she saw Minerva passing with groceries. "Doing good?"

"Yeah." Minerva lifted her groceries higher. "Just grocery shopping. Trying to make…a dinner."

"Usually he did," Aroma said. "But, then again I can't cook well. Um, hope you enjoy your date."

"Aye, Aroma." Minerva groaned. "I…sorry."

"Don't be," Aroma held up her hand. "It was never anything serious anyhow. It just lasted so long because I got married, and then I got into trouble and…circumstances. It's fine, Newt and you will be happy together. He is Mister Romance, so watch yourself."

"Yeah, I will." Minerva said. "Although, you do have a Mister Romance of your own. Completely weird taste you have, but if he makes you happy, go for it. Just don't be surprised if you have to start carrying frying pans to keep him off other women walking down the street." She touched her chin. "Actually, I'd worry for yourself. No telling how far he would want to take it. Are you still married?"

"Lot of excitement, we'll get it done soon." Aroma insisted. "It's not like that though, we're just friends. Just good friends. Gotta go."

Aroma kept walking until she reached the chairman's building. "Finally." She walked to the door and headed to the elevator.

When the door opened, Yakko stood in front of her with an odd smirk. "Hey," he said. "Looking for me?" He grabbed her arm and yanked her inside before the elevator closed.

"And so…" Plotz looked around the room. "Despite the appearance of one of you, I think we can step forward with plans on a different project."

"Thanks, sir," Zenny nodded. "Sorry, Aroma must have gotten held up. She'll be here soon."

"Okay, can we talk?" Aroma clung to the side. Yakko's wolvish eyes she had seen before they became 'just friends' were in full swing. "Yakko?"

"We've talked too much." Yakko put both hands on the wall above her shoulders. "You once said that you wouldn't let me kiss you because you only kissed guys you cared for."

Aroma gripped the side of the elevator as Yakko thrusted his mouth onto hers. Far from the sweet kiss on the cheek that would have been his last big bang, he was giving her a full blown hello nurse kiss. And she just couldn't help herself.

"Ha, I knew it!" Yakko pointed at her in accusation. "You had a boyfriend and everything, and I still got you. Damn, I must be good. I need to seek an invite for the Playboy's Mansion." He laughed. "Oh wait, I can't do that anymore, I only get one bunny." He looked her up and down. "Nice bunny."

"Hey, wait." Aroma tried to push him back. "What happened to friends?"

"What happened to kissing? That's funner." Yakko said as he went back for seconds. "And you kissed back again, you can't help yourself. You've got an addiction and it's called Yakko. Poor girl."

Aroma touched her lips. Damn it. "I'm not used to this from you."

"Well, better start?"

"I don't get it," Zenny said, "why wasn't Aroma at that meeting, Iri?" He found his answer as he opened the elevator door. "Aroma?"

"Zenny, hi! Ohh…" Aroma smoother her shirt back out and fixed her top buttons. "Brother."

"Don't look at me," Yakko held his hands up in defense. "I kissed her a few times, my regular skit, she's the one who went wild." He winked at her and Aroma blushed. "Although I confess I really didn't mind."

"Liar," Zenny accused him.

Iri caught the look in Aroma's eyes. "Sorry Zenny, I don't think he is."

"You missed the entire meeting," Zenny pointed at Aroma. "How long have you been in this elevator?"

"Aye, now, ease up on me missus," Yakko said, a little extra giddiness in his voice. "Mr. and Mrs. Therapy were just having a therapy session. I think we had a breakthrough." He bent down towards Aroma and took her hand. "Dearest Aroman Noodles, I would be honored if you would be my divorced wife but go to Joe's Snacks and Grill with me tonight?"

Aroma chuckled, completely forgetting about her brother. "I do."

"Awesome, I am getting fish sticks." Yakko grinned at Zenny, "I know, it's hard with friends, isn't it? Part of you wants to slug me while another part-"

"Wants to slug you!"

"Okay, so it's both parts. Nevertheless, I take leave with Aroma's heart." Yakko winked at her. "And maybe something else."

"And maybe something-? Yakko!" Zenny yelled as Yakko ran past the elevator and out the window. He looked back at Aroma. "Aroma?"

Aroma shrugged her shoulders. "Well…you did start the dating." She saw the unpleasant look on his face. "So, how'd it go?"

"About time you got back," Dot said as she crossed her arms in front of the tower door.

"Busy," Yakko said. "Busy, real busy." A giddy look fell onto his face. "What's up?"

"Animaniacs Return got cancelled," Wakko said.

"No surprise there," Yakko said. "I figure the 'we're gods!' speech in the residential neighborhood had to do it."

"They want to talk about a new show." Wakko continued.

"Oh," Yakko groaned. "I really wanted to-"

"They want to follow us around with camera's part of the day. The real world kind of thing, Animaniacs style," Dot said. "The show was good, but they liked everything behind the scenes much better than the actual show. The romance, the intrigue, the mystery, apparently they want to even make a film over everything that's happened, including a book deal."

"A book?" Yakko scoffed. "Who the hell would want to read all this crap behind the scenes?"

"Apparently a lot," Dot said. "There's even that fanfiction stuff popping up about it."

"Oh no," Yakko grabbed his head. "Fanfiction? Not incest crap is it? I mean, nobody's making me a puppy lovin' boyfriend or anything out of character? If we do this, the fame will get worse."

"All our friends would be a part of the project," Wakko smiled. "Including our old water tower roomies."

"Ooh." Yakko rubbed his chin. "Very interesting. I see potential. So, are we uncensored again?" He grinned at Wakko. "I've got some great ideas this time."

"No, it's not uncensored and it's not twenty four hours," Dot warned them. "Same perverted old brother."

"-with a girlfriend, I might add."

"A sad, mixed up girl." Dot sniffed. "I give it a week. She'll eventually get tired of getting grabbed at and drooled over." She looked over the tower, at where the vat used to be. "Those were some strong fields we put up around him, but do you think it'll last? And will we have permission to do that next time?"

"I don't know," Yakko admitted.

"You don't know?" Dot groaned. "Come on, this is a great moment. Say something memorable, not I don't know."

"Okay," Yakko cleared his throat. "As Aroma's new boyfriend, whom I may add I never made any promise that I wouldn't howl at other woman too, I solemnly think that in five years, I will be brave and heroic enough to defend my uh…country…girlfriend…the right to wear woolen socks if I so choose."

"That sucked." Wakko groaned. "Dot's right, they're probably going to want something great to end the book deal and movie on. If you don't want them shoving words down for you-"

"Okay, okay." Yakko sighed and looked at the sky. "Warren is a badass, but we'll take him on if he comes back. So say the future owners of Warner's Cars. When you want style, you want Warner. Also brought to you by the letter-"

"Oh forget it, they can make you say some lovey dovey speech about protecting your beloved," Dot complained.

"Ew." Yakko tapped his foot. "Alright, alright. Cue dramatic music. Wakko."

Wakko grabbed a violin and played a deep mysterious tone.

"Seriously, I don't know what to do if he comes back, but if he wants to play more games, he's also going to play our games." Yakko looked up at the sky. Would Warren ever come back and try to take Aroma? Well, he better think twice. She wasn't boyfriend to a mouse or a wimpy dog anymore. And if he laid one hand on her, that guy would end up with so many cars, he'd make sure his boss could retire to Tahiti the rest of his life.

Besides, Aroma was no sweet obeying 'prize' anymore. He had changed her. And oh boy, that elevator moment really showed how much he changed her! He tried to put that out of his mind a minute as he looked back at Wakko and Dot.

Finally free. No more courts.

The car dealership could wait a little longer, they'd give the new show a little try, and he'd keep his eye close on Warren.

He was now their special friend.

And he'd be getting the heart around his neck to prove it tomorrow.

THE END